Mama's Banana Pudding

 Happy Mother's Day Everyone! 

I am going to a potluck barbeque today at my sister's house to enjoy my Mother's Day with my adorable Mother who is 76 years old and awesome.  This is a wonderful recipe for potluck.  It is easy to transport, prepare and everyone loves it. My mother has had this recipe for years and it was a very popular dessert back in the 70's made with the Nilla Vanilla Wafer Cookies. 

Banana Pudding Recipe

• 1.5 cups cold water
• 1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 regular size package of  instant vanilla pudding powder
• 4 cups very cold heavy cream
• 1 1/2  boxes Nilla wafers
• 5 to 6 medium bananas plus drizzle 1 to 2 tsp. of lemon juice over bananas to prevent discoloration

Directions

• One the low speed on an electric mix, blend the water, milk and pudding powder until thoroughly mixed, about 1 minute. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) until firm.
• Whip the heavy cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form If planning on piping some whip cream shells follow recipe below.  Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well incorporated. Try to deflate the whip cream.
• In a large bowl or disposable aluminum pan (Great for Potluck), starting with the wafers, make five to six layers with Nilla wafers, sliced bananas and then the pudding mixture until all of the pudding mixture is gone. End with the pudding and decorate with crushed wafers and extra whip cream on, if desired. Refrigerate about 2 hours before serving, and refrigerate (or freeze) any leftovers.

Piped Whip Cream Shells:  
1 cup cold heavy cream
3 T. confectioner's sugar
Whip with mixer until stiff peaks form.  Pipe using a large star tip and piping bag.

Lemon Blueberry Tea Bread

 This is a lovely tea bread to make when you have blueberries on hand.  It is quick to put together and even taste better the next day.  My hubby loves this bread.

Lemon Blueberry Tea Bread

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or whole milk 
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon peel.  Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; beat into creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in blueberries.
• Pour into a greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
• Combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until smooth; drizzle over warm bread. Yield: 1 loaf (12 slices). 
•  Special Note: If using frozen blueberries, use without thawing to avoid discoloring the batter.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins

This is a wonderful muffin with a strong cup of coffee for Sunday morning breakfast. 

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins
Large muffin tin; lined with paper liners
Makes 8 to 10 large size muffins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Dry Ingredients
1 stick butter, plus 2 Tablespoons (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
pinch salt

Combine in liquid measuring cup and mix well
1/2 cup whole milk (room temperature)
1/2 cup full fat sour cream (room temperature)

Cinnamon Sugar Coffee Cake Mixture
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup ground walnuts (optional)

Reserve a few tablespoons of Cinnamon Sugar to sprinkle on top of each muffin before baking.

Cream your butter with sugar, until light and fluffy, add eggs continue to cream until lighter in color. Add extract. Combine all dry ingredients and sift. Combine milk and sour cream. Alternate between dry and wet and add to cream butter mixture, mix until well incorporated, do not over mix the batter.   Add cinnamon sugar mixture and gently fold in to batter.  Do not over mix you want to see ribbons of cinnamon sugar throughout the dough.  I use liners for easy removal. Let batter sit out for 30 minutes. Scoop into liners, 3/4 full.  I use an spring-loaded ice cream scoop.   Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top of muffins. Bake 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

Glaze for Drizzle
Mix a 1/2 cup of powder sugar with a few teaspoons of water until you have a medium to thin glaze.  Drizzle on top.  Add water one teaspoon at a time to reach desired consistency.

Sesame Almond Roasted Asparagus

 This vegetable dish is spicy and tasty.  The almonds, toasted sesame seeds, chili flakes and sesame oil add a level of complexity that is really appealing to me in flavor.  It is also very appealing visually.  I think it looks elegant.

Sesame Almond  Roasted Asparagus
1 lb Asparagus Spears, trimmed
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced
1T. olive oil
 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 Cup Sliced Almonds
1 T. toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
pinch salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a shallow greased baking dish place all ingredients and toss with hands to coat asparagus.  Roast in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until fork tender.

Cheesecake bars

Creamy and Delicious

I saw this recipe on Lynda's Recipe Box.  It sounded delish.  I did make a few changes, because I like the added richness from the sour cream and butter from a New York Cheesecake that I made recently. Like I really needed to gild the lily here.  Well, you can never have enough butter or sour cream, right? This one is definitely a keeper and I know I will be making this all the time.  Thanks Lynda:)

CHEESECAKE BARS

adapted from Lynda's Recipe Box
I doubled Lynda's original recipe and made a few more fattening changes.
Click on the link above to see her recipe.

Ingredients for crust:
2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup soft butter
2 cup flour

Cream the brown sugar and butter together. Then blend in the flour until crumbly. Separate 1 cup for topping. Place the rest in a 13x9 inch spray  baking pan with spray release and press down to make crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.

Ingredients for filling:
4- 8 ounce bars of cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
8 tablespoons sour cream
1 stick butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, milk, lemon juice and vanilla and beat well. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the reserved flour mixture (topping), over the cream cheese filling. Bake at 350 degress for about 25 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Simple Apple Pie

This apple pie will win any red-blooded American over. When I eat apple pie I feel like I'm walking through an apple orchard feeling alright.   I have had a very stressful few weeks and I needed some lovin from the oven.  Apple pie makes me feel loved.   I adore the smell of apple pie baking in the oven.   It just makes me feel happy!


Pastry dough - double crust
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup ice cold water
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cold corn oil

Apple Filling
6 cups tart apples, peeled and cored
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

Apple Pie Directions:

Prepare the pastry: In a food processor add flour, salt, sugar and process.  Add 2 sticks of butter cut up into cubes and process until the size of peas.  In a measuring cup, measure water and add oil.  While processing slowly add water/oil until a dough ball forms.  Form into a disk and wrap in clear wrap, refrigerate for 30 minutes.  *If you do not have a food processor just mix the dry ingredients and cut the butter into the flour.  I use my fingers and  rub the butter with flour until I get pea size butter pieces.  Slowly add the cold water/oil mixture.  Gently form into a ball, wrap and place in fridge. 

1.  Roll the pastry and line a 9-inch pie plate with the bottom crust. Roll out the remaining dough for the top crust. Chill the pastry.

2. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

 Apple Pie Filling

3. Prepare the filling: Pour the fresh-squeezed lemon juice in the bottom of a large bowl. Add your lemon zest to the bowl. Peel, halve and core the apples. Be sure to remove seeds. Slice them evenly about a 1/4 inch thick into the bowl, coating them with the lemon juice as you go.

4. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugars, flour or cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Add them to the apples just before you want to bake the pie, mix gently. If your apples are really tart you can add more sugar or use less.  This is a personal preference. 

Assemble the Apple Pie

5. Scrape the filling into the bottom crust, dot with butter and cover it with the second crust. Trim and crimp the crust; You can get fancy with your pie pastry, I cut out an apple with stem and leaves and egg washed it.  I sprinkled with coarse sugar.   Chill the pie for about 10 minutes in the refrigerator. 

Cut vent slits in the top crust. It is your option to sprinkle it with sugar or brush the top with egg wash.

Baking the Apple Pie
Make sure to place pie on cookie sheet.
Juices will leak out and make a mess in oven.

6. Bake the pie on a baking sheet for 10 minutes at 400° F or until the crust looks dry, blistered, and blonde. Turner the oven down to 375°F, and bake for at least 45 minutes more or until the crust is golden brown, and visible juices are thickened and bubble slowly through the slits in the top crust.

Check if the bottom crust has darkened. If not, bake a little more and cover the top crust with foil, so it does not burn.

Let the pie cool.

7. Cool the pie completely before cutting at least a few hours. Serve it at room temperature. Store the pie uncovered in a cool place up to three days.

Blackberry Cobbler

 I just love cobbler and this is my go to recipe.  You can put this together in a jiffy by using a food processor.  Great for last minute company coming over.  You can also make this a day ahead and slightly reheat, if you want to serve it warm.   

I went to the market the other day and they had the most beautiful blackberries.  I instantly had a craving for cobber with real whip cream.  This has to be my favorite dessert.  You can substitute any fruit you like, my suggestions would be all types of berries, or a mixture of, pears, apples, figs and peaches.  This dessert is truly comforting to me. You can double or triple the recipe for a church potluck or party.  Travels well.  Enjoy!

Blackberry Cobbler
Servings: 6-8
Makes a 9 inch square cobbler

1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
Pinch salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 T. ice water ( you might need more for dough to form a ball)
4 cups fresh blackberries
1  1/2 cups blackberry preserves ( can use 1 cup to cut back on sugar)

Heat the over to 375°F. Lightly butter 9 inch square pan. Combine the sugar, flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks crumbly. Pour in  1 T.  ice water and pulse until the dough begins to hold together. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill for an hour. Combine the fresh blackberries and preserves in a bowl and stir well to coat the fruit.  Take about 3/4 of the dough and press into square pan and bring it up 3/4 inch up the sides.   Spoon fruit mixture on top of pastry.  Take remaining dough and crumble on top of fruit.  Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.  Dust with confectioner's sugar and a dollop of whip cream or ice cream. 

Feel free to substitute any fruit with matching preserves.